Sock puller



Jan. 25, 1966 M. R. GLANVILLE 3,231,160

SOCK FULLER Filed Sept. 21, 1964 INVENTOR MODE R. GLANVlLLE HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,231,160 SUCK FULLER Mode R. Glauville, 1523 East 3010 South, Salt Lake City, Utah Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,787 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-111) The present invention relates to devices or aids for use by arthritic persons and, more particularly, to a new and improved sock puller device wherein the same will aid a person who is infirmed or otherwise afilicted in the process of putting socks or stockings on his or her feet.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sock puller for persons who have dithculty in putting on their socks or stockings by hand in a conventional manner.

An additional object is to provide a sock-puller type device wherein the rearward portion thereof can be suitably manipulated so that the heel of the user can be easily inr serted thereover for positioning into a sock or stocking supported by the device.

A further object is to provide a sock puller which can be easily actuated by hand through extension handles both principal and auxiliary, and this so that the sock puller can be easily utilized in aiding one in putting on his socks or stockings.

An additional object is to provide a sock puller provided with garters or other types of clasps wherein a persons sock or stockin may be easily initially positioned on the device and the device subsequently held outwardly, through the use of extension handles thereof, so that the user may slip his foot into the sock and, while pressing down with his foot, be enabled to lift the device upwardly so that the sock may easily slip over the ball, heel, and calf of his foot and leg.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away for convenience of illustration, of a sock puller incorporating the basic principles of the present invention; for convenience of illustration the positioning of the garter attachments thereof onto a suitably positioned sock are shown in dotted lines, the solid line configurations thereof being indicated for the garters immediately prior to their attachment of a sock preliminarily mounted upon the device.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrates the condition wherein the extension handles are squ ezed together so as to lower the rear connection means of the device, this to allow the user to slip his heel thcreover and into the sock mounted upon the device.

FlGURE 3 is a side elevation of the device of the present invention indicating useage of the device wherein the sock has been preliminarily slipped over the ball and heel of the foot of the user; this figure illustrates the upward lifting of the sock so that the heel and toe of the user come into corresponding positions on the sock or stocking into which he has placed his foot.

In FIGURE 1 doubled-back (see A) toe portions and 11 of the device are disposed in mutually spaced vertical planes and are individually outwardly expandable or extensible so as to enlarge their respective apex angles A and A. The upper segments 12 and 13 of these respective toe portions include stiffener loops 14 and are integrally joined with auxiliary handle portions 16 and 17 in the manner indicated. Handle portions 16 and 17 individually include guide loops 18, 19, 20, and 21, as indicated, for receiving upstanding extension shanks 22 and 23 respectively. Extension shanks 22 and 23 each include principal handle portions 24 and 25 extremities of which are either looped as at C and D as indicated, or are afiixed, for example, to the individual shanks themselves. The lower extremities 27 and 28 of the extension shanks are hooked into loops 29 and 30 of the respective toe portions 10 and 11, this for retention purposes. Thus, it will be seen that when the user squeezes the handles 16 and 17 and handle portions 24 and 25 respectively together or, to think of it in another way, when the user by his thumbs pushes the extension shanks downwardly by thumb pressure upon principal handle portions 24 and 25 at X and Y thereof while, relatively speaking, retaining handles 16 and 17, the respective toe portions are enlarged as to their internal girth; in other words, the lower legs L of each of the toe portions 10 and 11 now assume relative positions as indicated by the phantom lines at L. Correspondingly, the lower connecting means or bar B is lowered to position B. Thus, the phantom line positioning of the lower legs L of each of the toe portions 10 and 11 indicate the condition of the individual toe portions when principal handle portions 25 and 24 are pushed downwardly toward auxiliary handle portions 16 and 17, respectively.

Such squeezing together of the handle portions is indicated in solid line configuration in FIGURE 2.

Now it has been found convenient to make the various loop configurements shown for fabrication purposes. However, it will be understood that other types of twisted wire techniques, soldering, welding, or other fabrication techniques may be used, this to secure in a fairly permanent manner the depending shanks 22 and 23 to the rearward extremities of the lower legs L of each of the toe portions 10 and 11. Again, this is for the purpose of dropping heel bar B which inter-connects the two toe portions 10 and 11.

The operation of the device may be described as follows. A sock S is preliminarily inserted or mounted over the toe portions 10 and 11 of the sock puller device of the present invention. This is done by the user employing garter clamps or other suitable releasable connectors C and by attaching them to the upper ribbing of the socks or stocking as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1 and in solid lines in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that loops 14 and 15 are ideally presented, as well as the lower portions P and P of auxiliary handle portions 16 and 17, for mounting the various garters C thereto. The forwardmost garters C attach over the devices sides to the sock ribbing as seen in FIGURE 2, whereas the most rear ward garters C are attached over and around the heel bar B to the upper margin of the sock beneath the device at points Y.

In operation the user will first introduce his toes into the sock preliminarily mounted onto the device as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1 and in solid lines in FIG- URE 2. Subsequently, the user will urge the handles 24 and 25 toward auxiliary handle portions 16 and 17, respectively, so that the heel bar B may be dropped, this to permit the user to introduce his heel beyond the bar and into and through the upper portion of the sock at this area, completely into the sock or stocking attached to the device. The reason why this opening of the toe portion is necessitated is to enlarge temporarily the sock opening, which will impose slightly increased strain on the material of the sock but only for a moment while the heel is being positioned in the sock as seen in FIGURE 2. Subsequently, the user will release the handle 24 and 25, thus returning the heel bar B from position B to position B as seen in FIGURES 2 and 1, and will subsequently urge his foot downwardly, as shown in FIGURE 3, between the toe portions 10 and lit, to pull the sock up the calf of his leg.

The crux of the present invention, hence, resides not only in a provision of an extension tool for putting socks onto feet but also for suitable actuating means whereby the opening of the mouth or neck (ribbing)) of a sock is accomplished, but only momentarily, this for introducing the heel into the sock as shown in FIGURE 2 and not to impose continuous excessive strain on the sock material because of this temporary, enlarged opening of the neck of the sock. The neck of the sock is to remain enlarged until the sock is pulled all the Way up the leg in the manner generally indicated in FIGURE 3.

In lieu of the various loop configurements, fixed attachments can, of course, be used. The space between toe portions 10 and 11 should be open sufiiciently to permit the calf and the leg to be inserted there-between. The material is preferably resilient so the heel bar will spring back after pressure 011 the handles 16, 17', 24-, and 25 has been released. It is advisable, as well, that the lower legs L of each of the toe portions be resiliently integral with heel bar B so that they can spread outwardly, if desired, while the leg is being inserted within the sock and between the toe portions as indicated in FIGURE 3.

The angle D in FIGURES 1 and 2 indicate the displacement angle of heel bar B from its position B to position B when the device is intermittently operated to provide for insertion of the heel over the heel bar B into the sock, and for but an instant only.

Various types of guide arrangement sleeves and so forth may be used in order that the auxiliary handle portions 16 and 17 be slideable or translatable with respect to the principal handle portions 24 and 25. Attachments may be used in lieu of integral structures, if desired.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A sock puller increase, in combination, a pair of doubled-back, formed, resilient toe portions disposed in and expandible in respective, mutually spaced, parallel, vertical planes; means securing said expandable toe portions together in spaced, side-by-side relationship; respective auxiliary handle means integral with and disposed above said doubled-back toe portions, respectively; elongated shank means slideably secured to respective ones of said auxiliary handle means for selectively expanding said toe portions within said planes; principal handle means integral with respective ones of said elongate shank means and disposed above said auxiliary handle means and proximately spaced with respect thereto for selective manual squeezing together; and respective means fixedly mounted with respect to said toe portions, respectively, for releasable securing the neck of a stocking article over said toe portions in open condition.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said toe portions securing means comprises a horizontal heel bar disposed beneath and spaced from said auxiliary handle means and, hence, selectively movable from its nominal position upon depression of said principal handle portions with respect to said auxiliary handle portions.

3. Structure according to claim It wherein said respective releasably securing means comprise garter means for releasable engagement with a stocking on the outer sides of respective ones of said toe portions and underneath said toe portions securing means, said garter means being stretchable and resilient.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,828,057 3/1958 MacLauchlan 223-111 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SOCK PULLER INCREASE, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF DOUBLED-BACK, FORMED, RESILIENT TOE PORTIONS DISPOSED IN AND EXPANDIBLE IN RESPECTIVE, MUTUALLY SPACED, PARALLEL, VERTICAL PLANES; MEANS SECURING SAID EXPANABLE TOE PORTIONS TOGETHER IN SPACED, SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP; RESPECTIVE AUXILIARY HANDLE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID DOUBLE-BACK TOE PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY; ELONGATED SHANK MEANS SLIDEABLE SECURED TO RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID AUXILIARY HANDLE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY EXPANDING SAID TOE PORTIONS WITHIN SAID PLANES; PRINCIPAL HANDLE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID ELONGATE SHANK MEANS AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID AUXILIARY HANDLE MEANS AND PROXIMATELY SPACED WITH RESPECT THERETO FOR SELECTIVE MANUAL SQUEEZING TOGETHER; AND RESPECTIVE MEANS FIXEDLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID TOE PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY FOR RELEASABLE SECURING THE NECK OF A STOCKING ARTICLE OVER SAID TOE PORTIONS IN OPEN CONDITION. 